Why we need to stop stereotyping healthy foods

Imagine if the world was a place where everything was the same. One where everyone shared the same customs, spoke the same language, dressed the same, ate the same kinds of food and lived in the same climate. We’ve all heard of at least one book or movie about a dystopian world that sounds just like that. My worst version of that world is one where no sushi, pasta, pizza or tacos (to name a few) exist and we all eat the same thing every day. *Sharp intake of breath*

Picture this: Hunger strikes. You pad over to the kitchen to quiet that growling and empty feeling that seems to reach deep down into your soul making it impossible to focus on anything else. Your stomach jumps with excitement at the thought of food but your taste buds die a little inside. Your meal is good but you want something else…something more. Something a little exciting, different. But no matter what your heart desires there is nothing exciting- only the same kinds of foods with the same combination of seasonings and flavors. This is good for my health you think. Blegh. 

To that I say: STOP. We need to stop stereotyping “health” and “healthy” foods into a box. The world is round and will certainly not fit into a square box. We live in such an incredibly diverse world with millions of different realities. The truth of the matter is, your reality is so much more different than someone else who grew up eating different foods. The types of meals that are labeled as being healthy cannot be the reality for many people. It wasn’t my reality or the reality of many of my friends and family. In a world that is so rich with culture, it is impossible to put labels on certain types of foods or cuisines. If you have struggled with this or know anyone who does, know that you are not alone. Living a healthy lifestyle is possible no matter where you are from, whether that’s eating cultural foods regularly or rotating between different cuisines because there is just too much diversity out there not to enjoy it. I’m right there with you! 

If you have any questions or tips on how you do this specific to your culture or lifestyle, let me know in the comments below!